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Basildon councillor steps down from 'cut-throat' council

A STALWART councillor, the first female group leader in Basildon, is set to resign.

The former Labour group leader, Lynda Gordon, who represents Lee Chapel North, is to step down after growing “disillusioned” after 30 years in politics.

Mrs Gordon, who left the Basildon Labour group and was expelled by the national Labour Party in acrimonious circumstances, claims she has no regrets in forming an Independent Labour Group with Phil and Pat Rackley last year.

She is fed up with the council she believes doesn’t care about people and is hell bent on being a “cut-throat business”.

A by-election is likely to take place for Mrs Gordon’s seat, which she has held since 2004, during the borough elections on May 22, with all the main parties likely to field candidates.

Mrs Gordon, who led the opposition Labour Party between 2008 and 2012, said: “Over the years, I’ve built up relationships with many residents and I’ll certainly miss them, but I won’t miss politics.

“Having been a member of the Labour Party for more than 30 years, I now find myself in the unenviable position of not actually feeling there is any party I can vote for.

“I’ve not viewed being a councillor as a career move. I see it as empowering ordinary people to have a voice within an authority where they are not always listened to.

“Basildon Council is no longer a caring council and seems to pride itself more on the fact it’s turning itself into a cut-throat business where people matter very little.”

Mrs Gordon said another reason for leaving is she is moving out of the borough, after living in Basildon all her life.

Mrs Gordon was replaced by current Labour group leader Nigel Smith in May 2012, and resigned from the party in January 2013.

She added: “My resignation was the right thing to do and I have no regrets. I don’t think it was fair I was criticised for it, but I did expect it.”

She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011.

If her seat is contested in May, it will be one of 15 wards. Lee Chapel North is seen as a Labour stronghold, with Mr Smith and the party’s whip Alan Bennett holding the other seats.

If the Tories lose three of the other 14 seats the party is defending, the group will lose overall control of the council.

Comments

Can't see the tories getting voted in in LCN after the rubber stamping of the sale of Ballards Walk.

Can't see the tories getting voted in in LCN after the rubber stamping of the sale of Ballards Walk.Howard Cháse

Can't see the tories getting voted in in LCN after the rubber stamping of the sale of Ballards Walk.

Score: 6

ThisYear
5:08pm Mon 31 Mar 14

I suppose there is just so much Tony Ball's hypocrisy a decent person can take.

Best of luck to her.

I suppose there is just so much Tony Ball's hypocrisy a decent person can take.
Best of luck to her.ThisYear

I suppose there is just so much Tony Ball's hypocrisy a decent person can take.

Best of luck to her.

Score: 0

bazza 1
5:11pm Mon 31 Mar 14

Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.

Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.bazza 1

Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.

Score: 0

carnmountyouknowitmakessense
5:14pm Mon 31 Mar 14

Bye, pass the thimble, now wheres my small violin...

Bye, pass the thimble, now wheres my small violin...carnmountyouknowitmakessense

Bye, pass the thimble, now wheres my small violin...

Score: 0

Living the La Vida Legra
5:17pm Mon 31 Mar 14

Bye

ByeLiving the La Vida Legra

Bye

Score: -1

Kim Gandy
8:57am Tue 1 Apr 14

bazza 1 wrote…

Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.

You can bank on it. More than one.

[quote][p][bold]bazza 1[/bold] wrote:
Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.[/p][/quote]You can bank on it. More than one.Kim Gandy

bazza 1 wrote…

Oh I do hope there is a UKIP candidate standing in this election.

You can bank on it. More than one.

Score: -3

Kim Gandy
9:03am Tue 1 Apr 14

"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."

Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?

That's right. Never.

Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.

"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."
Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?
That's right. Never.
Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.Kim Gandy

"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."

Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?

That's right. Never.

Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.

Score: -3

ThisYear
7:20pm Tue 1 Apr 14

Kim Gandy wrote…

"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."

Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?

That's right. Never.

Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.

You could of gone back to Yorkshire if it bothered you that much...many of the people on DF were born in Basildon and thus had more right there than you...(going off your thoughts on foreign people to the country not having as much right as you to be here)

See how it works..hoisted by your own petards

[quote][p][bold]Kim Gandy[/bold] wrote:
"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."
Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?
That's right. Never.
Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.[/p][/quote]You could of gone back to Yorkshire if it bothered you that much...many of the people on DF were born in Basildon and thus had more right there than you...(going off your thoughts on foreign people to the country not having as much right as you to be here)
See how it works..hoisted by your own petardsThisYear

Kim Gandy wrote…

"She says her proudest moment was when she led Labour’s opposition to the Dale Farm evictions in 2011."

Really? And when did she ever visit the village and talk to the residentsof Crays Hill to see how they felt?

That's right. Never.

Always the same with people who don't have to live with it.

You could of gone back to Yorkshire if it bothered you that much...many of the people on DF were born in Basildon and thus had more right there than you...(going off your thoughts on foreign people to the country not having as much right as you to be here)

See how it works..hoisted by your own petards

Score: 0

Howard Cháse
10:37am Wed 2 Apr 14

I bet Ms Gordon wasn't in the inner Ale and Pies Club sanctum.

I bet Ms Gordon wasn't in the inner Ale and Pies Club sanctum.Howard Cháse

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